The Save Romania Union-PLUS Alliance will endorse Klaus Iohannis in the second round of elections, co-chairs of the two parties Dacian Ciolos and Dan Barna have announced on Monday.
“I believe there is no surprise that our support goes to Klaus Iohannis. I hope we get the chance, in the next period, to strengthen this support, to have a discussion with Mr. Iohannis in order to make sure that the political project that he endorses is aligned with our objectives and we can give this signal of ability to collaborate between the project that Iohannis endorses and the one we endorse,” PLUS chairman Dacian Ciolos told a news conference.
In his turn, USR leader Dan Barna said that he would recommend his supporters to endorse Klaus Iohannis.
“As you know, in Romania’s Parliament, the USR and, over the past year, the USR PLUS Alliance have been the most active and dynamic disputers of the PSD [the Social Democratic Party] and the PSD politics. It’s out of the question to ever give Mrs. Dancila a vote or support. The response is an obvious one. I will recommend my supporters to endorse Klaus Iohannis,” Barna stated.
USR leader about possible resignation: I am not a leader who gives up at the first difficulty
He also stated on Monday that he wouldn’t resign from the helm of the party after ranking 3rd in the first round of presidential elections, because he “doesn’t give up” at the first difficulty.
When asked about a possible resignation, Barna stated: “No. At this moment, categorically no. I said I take full responsibility for the result, but, equally, I am not a leader who walks away and gives up at the first difficulty, because a goal wasn’t achieved. This evening, I will have a discussion with my colleagues from the party leadership and we will establish the strategy and steps for the next period.”
Ciolos: USR PLUS Alliance, one of the main political forces
PLUS Chairman Dacian Ciolos said on Sunday, after the exit polls, that “everything is still being played” and that the Save Romanian Union – Freedom, Solidarity and Unity Party (USR- PLUS) Alliance is one of the main political forces of the country.
“Well done, Dan! First of all, the result of this evening and which we will know more concretely tomorrow proves that the USR PLUS Alliance is one of the main forces of the country. Thanks to you, those of you who have mobilized to vote, we are able to promise that we will be there to modernize Romania. We are only halfway into these presidential elections. Everything is still playing, because what you saw here does not take into account the result of the diaspora vote and does not take into account what is still being voted, but anyway, we are only halfway and we are convinced – with what we have obtained in the European Parliament elections and now in the presidential ones – that the USR PLUS Alliance can win in the local and parliamentary elections,” Ciolos said.
He said that PSD is moving towards history.
“In any case, the USR PLUS Alliance will be the one that will bring modernization air of Romania. The PSD – and the result of tonight shows it – is going towards history and I am convinced that USR and PLUS have a common destiny and will know how to build on the trust you have given us. I thank Dan Barna for the way he campaigned. Presence among people, this is what we intend, an open, concrete dialogue. I am convinced that by what will happen in the next hours we will know how to move forward and we will learn from the lesson you offered by mobilizing to vote,” said Dacian Ciolos.
